1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of skill games, more particularly, to an interactive system and method for enabling a bingo-like game to be played in a multi-user environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the game of traditional bingo and similar games of chance the basic elements include a gaming board and a random number-generating device. The game of Bingo, also known as lotto, has been a popular game to play for people of all ages. Traditional Bingo is essentially a lottery where multiple players purchase unique bingo cards comprised of an array of symbols arranged in a particular pre-set pattern. The most common gaming board is a 5 by 5 numerical array, with the centremost location being a blank or “free-space”. The game is generally played using between 75 and 90 numbers though it is not limited to these values. On a 5 by 5 gaming board, each column of the array is limited to approximately one-fifth of the numbers, for example a first column contains numbers ranging from 1-15 in the event that 75 numbers are used, and 1-18 when 90 numbers are used. In a second column numbers are selected from the group 16-30 or 19-31 respectively. No duplicate numbers appear on the gaming board.
When the traditional game of Bingo is played, a specific pattern or shape is formed on the gaming board by application of the symbols. When a symbol is called or revealed to a player which coincides with a symbol found on the gaming board, the player marks the symbol on the board to identify it having been called. A series of randomly selected symbols are called until a first player has a set of randomly called symbols coincide with the symbols on the gaming board in the desired pattern or shape specified. A winner is determined by comparison and verification of the series of randomly selected symbols called during game play and those marked on the board to form the specified pattern. Examples of common patterns or shapes that may be used are “X”, “L”, “T”, a line, and the like.
The greater the number of cards the player plays in the game, the greater the chance of winning, in the sense that buying more individual lottery tickets in a field of lottery tickets gives one a greater chance of winning the random draw. The game of Bingo and similar chance games have long been played at churches, in schools, at halls, at resorts, and many other centralized facilities to raise money for charity and for profit where gambling is legal. Typically, people pay to play bingo and similar games of chance primarily to win money. In addition, games of chance have been used by churches, schools, and other centralized facilities as a means to raise money for charity or, profit the sponsoring institution. However, in order to run such charity events, gambling licenses must generally be obtained.
Every Bingo game and similar game of chance has a winning card, such that a player's chance of winning is random and depends upon the number of cards in the game and how many cards they are playing. For example, if a player has 14 cards in a game with 1400 cards the chances of winning for that player is 1 in 100. Chance games are based on statistical odds and are primarily independent of player skill unlike the game of Poker which involves a combination of both chance, on the cards received, and skill on the play of the cards.
In the conventional Bingo parlor, a caller could reveal random numbers to the players, and a plurality of players would mark the game board according to the random numbers drawn from the total numbers available. The caller may be a person drawing from a bin containing all the possible symbols or may be a computerized system which flashes the symbols on an overhead screen. When a player has a BINGO (i.e. 5 in a row, column, diagonal or the requisite game pattern(s)), the player would call out BINGO or any other phrase indicating completion of the requisite pattern. The game pauses while the pattern of the game board is verified by comparing the numbers called against the numbers marked on the game board. Each game proceeds until a player wins (there is always a winner). It is the responsibility of each player to keep up-to-date with the random numbers called and to identify a winning game board.
Today's technology allows for games of all types to be played over computer networks, for example the Internet. Generally online games, such as video games, are available over the Internet. The games may require players to download large files of executable code designed to run on a particular platform. The alternative is to have players access a server site over the Internet, where the server is running software and the players act as a game client. The game client uses a connection to the Internet to interact with the server. The server typically manages a plurality of game clients thus allowing competition in that game to occur between multiple game clients at locations worldwide on that particular server. Online versions of conventional bingo and other games of chance are generally the same. These games have a random number generator and a random number selector. A virtual game board replaces the printed-paper game board. Conventional bingo is a gambling game and is a game of chance. The majority of Internet based chance games are played for fun or for sweepstakes prizes because of jurisdictional restrictions placed on gambling. Online games of chance are most commonly not available for play with any significant monetary remuneration. In addition, bingo parlors generally operate with jurisdictional authorization again because of restrictions place on gambling.
There are a number of prior proposals for implementing a bingo like game on a network. U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,911 teaches a method and apparatus for playing bingo over a wide area network. The system is interactive and contemplates user input while the game is ongoing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,002 teaches a computer-based system and method for playing a bingo-like game to facilitate multi-user play and strategic interaction with the game itself. U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,984 discloses a system for providing large arena games played in real time over a computer network. A server collects information from a game client to determine the moves being played by that game client. This information is collected on a per move basis.
Games of chance typically contain the three basic elements that, for most jurisdictions, distinguish it as a gambling game. These are chance, consideration and reward. However, these games involving an element of chance are typically played where gambling is legal and typically require the host to obtain specific permits and meet particular regulations. The need for permits when hosting games of chance prevents the play of bingo like games on-line for redemption of valuable prizes.
The need for gambling licenses and the like is generally restricted to games of chance. On the other hand, a skilled game involves no chance aspects and relies upon the skills a player possesses to predict the outcome of the game. Such games may generally be operated without licenses and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the element of chance from a traditional game of chance so as to create a skill dependent game.